Whoa! The Maricopa County Community College District governing board will decide Tuesday whether to raise the property tax to help offset a steep decline in state aid. Not that MCCCD can't manage their own fiscal affairs, but who the heck in their right minds ever passed a law giving a community college board the authority to raise our property taxes?

I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes: The Biggest Mouth in the West (err, I mean The Toughest Sheriff in the West) fronting for another Texas Governor, Rick Perry, who thinks that come Nov. 12, 2012, everyone who is 21 should vote for him for President. Gee, Rick, the election is Nov. 6 and the legal voting age is 18. Can anyone say, "W"?

I guess I just don't get it. I consider myself an independent conservative Democrat who'd vote for Ron Paul given the chance; but, I just don't get all this rhetoric about the ‘Food Stamp President' [Hail to the ‘Food Stamp President', Jan. 23, 2012, page B6].

Reading the paper recently, one phrase from one letter shocked me: “One percent of our citizens serve in the military.”

My Mom & Dad were born in 1921, married in 1943. They grew up during the Great Depression and lived through WWII. Tonight on PBS I watched “Celebration: Stephanie Blythe Meets Kate Smith” where an opera singer sang songs made famous by Kate Smith during the 30s-40s and WWII era. I only vaguely remember Kate Smith, but apparently she was more successful than about any other star of the time, and I remember my Mom loved Kate Smith. One of her iconic songs was:

The Arizona Republic alleges that the governor of the state of Arizona (aka Jan Brewer) is the “commander in chief” of the Arizona National Guard, “more than 9,100 personnel.” The governor then appoints an adjutant general to command the Arizona forces? The Republic claims that the National Guard is responsible to “serve their respective states in crime-fighting, border security.” How can this be? In light of all of Gov. Brewer’s tough talk over border security and illegal aliens, and all the brouhaha around the 10th Amendment aside, has our governor had the solution all along, and failed to act? If the rationale for Brewer and the Republican Arizona Legislature’s antics, for many years, is that the federal government has failed to act — and so Arizona must — and in light of constant rhetoric about the crisis and emergency along our border, either Brewer or the Republic needs to explain.

I’m a supporter of the 2nd Amendment, but I was appalled on Saturday, July 21 to see on local (television) the 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. airing of an NRA-sponsored advertisement, soliciting donations for the NRA and NRA membership: “The Secret War on Guns: Anti-gun schemes threaten American lives and attack American freedom.” This was 30 minutes of hyper-partisan non-stop NRA spokesmen extolling the virtues of guns and vilifying any issues around gun control. And this is the next day, after the “Movie Massacre” killings in Aurora, Colo., using a “legal” AR-15 assault rifle. This is the height of arrogance, of insensitivity and poor timing. Don’t any of these people have any shame?

Holy cow, what is going on at the Arizona Legislature: Bill aims to censor teachers' speech? For years now our legislators have been micromanaging everything that goes on in our state: micromanaging its citizens, micromanaging the cities, micromanaging the schools and universities, micromanaging law enforcement. Now they want to control what teachers can and cannot say in and around the classroom. Isn't that what we have school boards and principals for? Somebody complains or gripes and we get another bill, another law? Don't we have enough laws already? Isn't Arizona supposed to be a conservative bastion? Conservative in social norms, fiscally conservative, limited government? After 100 years, can't Arizona citizens be trusted to do anything right? I guess not.

My wife and I happened to be traveling this past week and had occasion to travel multiple times from Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) thru Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) airports to Orlando FL. Wow. What a stark difference. Maybe it’s not a fair comparison, I don’t know; but, the difference in quality from top-bottom, ceiling-floor, processes, finishes, services provided, retailers etc was striking. Phoenix is supposedly the #5 or 6 largest city (depending upon who you ask) in the U.S, while Atlanta is a little bigger than Mesa, not even in the U.S. top 25. Just as striking to me, while in ATL, I happened to be reading a copy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (don’t know if right- or left-leaning, but a GOOD paper) and I read an AP piece about “Bush-era probe involved ‘walking’ guns”. Apparently, this whole “Fast and Furious” (BATFE) scandal actually happened first back in 2006 under the Bush administration, as “Operation Wide receiver.” Never read about that in the Republic or saw that on Channel 12! John and Patti Latson

Everyone seems to agree that the crux of our ills in Arizona lies with the housing industry and real estate markets. Howard Fischer's June 10 article in the Tribune mentions "a boom and bust in both real estate and construction... we're overbuilt in all sectors... we have an awful lot of people who aren't working."

I worked many years for (the old) General Motors at the corner of Ellsworth and Elliot roads. Not for a GM dealership or some other auto-related enterprise, but at the GM Desert Proving Ground — “The DPG” as it was termed.

The Honorable Janet Napolitano says that this whole thing (the Secret Service, prostitutes, and the military) is “inexcusable”. Probably so. Not too many people would raise their hand, stand up, and try to make excuses for bad behavior. Not me.

Most of us know a little bit about the Salt River Project (SRP), the company that provides our electrical power here in the Valley. But, according to "SRP FACTS FY11", SRP is actually two (2) entities:

The July 10 Tribune editorial ("Businesses as educators") is an intriguing idea, especially in light of our current economic challenges. There are many examples, decades old, of business-industry partnerships with K-12, as well as with higher education. Some good local examples come to mind immediately: Boeing, Intel, and even the (old) General Motor's "Technical Education Program."

I have no problem with the issues as presented, or Michael Weinstein's position (guest commentary "Let's get the right thing done", July 15). We probably all agree: Do the right thing, and do it right now! But, to say, or even suggest that "The answer is simple" is ridiculous.

The recent comments comparing auto insurance to health insurance seem a bit confusing. I suppose that I could agree, at some level, that driving is a “privilege.” But, this is 2012, not 1912. We have a federal highway system, as well as state and county government roadways, with all the accompanying taxes, rules and regulations.

The media have reported many stories in the past week that confirm my suspicions, and lead to only one conclusion: There really has been no recession.

Never before in U.S. history have the American people held its military in such (unrealistic) esteem. Possibly, it is partially due to false images portrayed by the for-profit 24/7 cable-news organizations; possibly, it is partially due to the general American public’s lack of experience, and knowledge — i.e., we’ve lost our grip on reality.

"Anyone listening to KEZ's Christmas music this year? Do they play anything else besides ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' by Brenda Lee, ‘Silver Bells' by Doris Day and ‘Jingle Bell Rock' by Bobby Helms? Last year they played those three songs ad nauseum, and I'm wondering if they added more variety to their repertoire this year."